Und diese können Kleidung auf Chol Hamoed waschen: Einer, der aus dem Ausland zurückkehrt, einer, der aus der Gefangenschaft befreit ist, einer, der aus dem Gefängnis befreit ist, einer, der von den Weisen von der Exkommunikation befreit wird; Ebenso konsultierte man einen Weisen [über Chol Hamoed] und wurde von seinem Gelübde befreit [keine Kleidung zu waschen]. (Diese dürfen gewaschen werden :) Handtücher [zum Reinigen der Hände beim Essen], Friseurblätter, [die sein müssen regelmäßig gewaschen, wenn der Friseur kommt, um die in unserer Mischna genannten Personen zu rasieren, die sich auf Chol Hamoed rasieren dürfen], und Badetücher [mit denen man sich trocknet, wenn er das Badehaus verlässt]. Zavin (Männer mit Genitalausfluss), Zavoth Niddoth, Frauen, die gerade geboren haben, und alle, die von Unreinheit zu Sauberkeit aufsteigen [auf Chol Hamoed], dürfen [ihre Kleidung waschen], und alle anderen sind verboten (dies zu tun). [Und alle Flachs-Kleidungsstücke können auf Chol Hamoed gewaschen werden, da sie ständig gewaschen werden müssen. Sogar diejenigen, die am Vorabend des Festivals gewaschen wurden, werden sofort besudelt und müssen mitten im Festival gewaschen werden, weshalb sie nicht verordnet wurden. Und wenn man nur eine Robe hat, auch wenn sie nicht aus Flachs besteht, kann man sie auf Chol Hamoed waschen. Dies, wenn er beim Waschen nackt (mit Brust) steht, allein in seinen Leggings, um seine Geheimteile zu bedecken, was zeigt, dass er nur eine Robe hat, die, die er wäscht.]
Bartenura on Mishnah Moed Katan
ומי שנשאל לחכם – that he vowed not to launder his clothes and he appeared before a Sage on the Festival and he released him from his vow.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
Introduction
For the same reason that it is prohibited to shave/cut hair during the festival, it is also prohibited to wash one’s clothes the prohibition during the festival encourages people to wash their clothes before the festival. As was the case with yesterday’s mishnah, today’s mishnah lists the exceptions, those people who may wash their clothes because they could not have done so before the festival began.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Moed Katan
ומטפחות ידים – that they dry with the their hands at the time of eating.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
These may launder [their clothes] during the festival: one coming back from a trip abroad, or one coming out from a place of captivity, or coming out of prison, or one excommunicated whom the sages have released. This is the same list that appeared in section one of yesterday’s mishnah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Moed Katan
ומטפחות ספרים – clothing/covering that the barbers give to those who get a haircut between his shoulders because of the hair. And when he comes to shave to those who are taught in the Mishnah who are permitted to shave on the Festival, it is necessary to always launder it.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
And similarly one who asked a sage [to be released from a vow] and was released. This is the same as the beginning of the second section of yesterday’s mishnah.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Moed Katan
מטפחות הספגין – that they dry with them when they leave from the bathhouse.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
Hand-towels, barber’s towels and bath-towels [may be laundered]. Towels which are used on a daily basis and will quickly become dirty may be laundered. “Barber’s towels” is somewhat of a strange category, considering the fact that most people should not be getting a haircut on the festival. Either this refers to towels used in cutting the hair of those few people who can get a haircut or alternatively the word for “barber” really means “books” the words are spelled the same but pronounced differently in Hebrew (sapar=barber; sefer=book). The mishnah would then refer to coverings of books, i.e Torah scrolls, which become dirty due to frequent usage. However, it seems strange to me that book coverings need to be washed with such urgency.
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Bartenura on Mishnah Moed Katan
וכל העולים מטומאה לטהרה – on the Festival, it is permitted to launder their clothes. And flax utensils, even of every person it is permitted to launder them on the Festival, for they need laundering frequently, and even that which was laundered on the eve of the Festival become soiled immediately and need laundering during the Festival, therefore, they did not make a decree concerning them. And whomever lacks other than one undershirt/garment, even if it is not made of flax is permitted to launder it on the Festival., and he who stands naked at the time of his laundering with only a girdle on his loins to cover the flesh of his nakedness for this proves that he lacks other than this undershirt/garment that he launders.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
Zavim and zavot, menstruants, and women who have given birth, and anyone going from a state of purity to impurity, are permitted [to launder their clothes]. This section refers to various people who have some sort of genital emission and therefore need to wash their clothes frequently. Zavim and zavot have some sort of unusual genital emission which would dirty their clothes. They are allowed to wash their clothes because it would not be seemly to force them to go around in public with stained clothing. People who become pure on the festival need to wash their clothes (Leviticus 11:25, 28; 14: 5, 47; Numbers 19:19). They are allowed to do so during the festival since they could not control the timing of their becoming pure.
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English Explanation of Mishnah Moed Katan
But everyone else is prohibited. The mishnah ends by emphasizing that other people may not launder their clothes on the festival. During the time of the mishnah laundering was heavy labor and was not done with great frequency. Hence, the festival should not be used as an opportunity to launder clothes.
